Apparatus for dispensing gas material



Jan. 9, 1934.

L. C. UPDEGRAFF APPARATUS FbR DISPENSING GAS MATERIAL Filed July 26. 1932 ZE-l INVENTOR Patented Jan. 9,' 1934 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING GAS MATERIAL Lee C. Updegrafl', New York, N. Y. assignor to The Linde Air Products Company, a corporation of Ohio Application July 26, 1932. Serial No. 624,675

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing gas material, particularly gas material which is conveyed and stored in the liquid phase, and has for its object to provide suitable means for effecting the discharge of gas to consuming apparatus at a desired substantially constant pressure.

More specifically, it is an object to provide suitable means for effecting withdrawal of gas 30 material from liquid and gas phase storage means whereby the pressures are automatically controlled and gas is discharged to consuming apparatus at a desired substantially constant pressure.

Another object is to provide means for maintaining during discharge from connected liquid and gas phase storage means a reserve "capacity for the storage of gas vaporized during periods when no discharge to consuming apparatus occurs. I

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appearhereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus embodying features of construction, com- 1 binations of elements and arrangement of parts which areadapted for carrying out theobjects of the invention, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

This invention is for an improvement on the apparatus disclosed in the co-pending applica-' tion of H. C. Smith, Serial No. 675,577, filed June 13, 1933.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken, in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates mainly diagrammatically, an exemplary embodiment of apparatus adapted'for the practice of the invention; and

Fig. 2 illustrates similarly a modified form of apparatus.

Liquefied gases with which the procedure of this invention is practiced are conveyed in the liquid phase within containers adapted for the purpose to the place where they are to be consumed. The liquefied gases may be transferred from the container in which they are conveyed to the storage container at the place where they are to be consumed, or the liquefied gases may be stored in the container in which they are transported when the transport container is left in 55 position at the place of consumption.

In the present invention, gas material is stored in the liquid phase and converted into the gas phase at a desired substantially constant pressure for use by the consuming apparatus. This is accomplished by providing means for vaporizing the liquefied gas as desired and also for con-- trolling the pressure.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, A denotes generally a container for storing liquefied gas in a condition. substantially insulated from the influence of heat from external sources; such device being hereafter referred to as a cold converter. The cold converter illustrated comprises an inner vessel 10,

which holds liquefied gas as shown at 11, and fill has a mantle of insulation 12 substantially completely encompassing the same; there being an outer jacket or envelope 13 for protecting and supportingthe insulation 12. The vessel 10 is constructed to withstand a desired maximum? pressure and is provided with suitable means for filling and discharging. The filling means comprises a conduit 14 disposed in the upper part of the container, and closure means 15 external to the outer jacket 13. I

Liquid discharge is effected through conduit 16 which has an open end near the bottom of the vessel 10 and conducts the liquefied gas to a heating means 17 which vaporizes and superheats the gas material discharged from conduit 16. The superheated gas material is then conducted by means of conduit 18 back into the cold converter to efiect thermal contact with the stored liquefied gas through the walls of the portion of the conduit 18 which is submerged in the liquelied gas. In passing through this portion of conduit 18, the superheat of the gas material passing therethrough is substantially all transferred to the stored liquefied gas efiectingthe vaporization of a desired portion of the stored liquefied gas whereby the pressure of the gas material within the cold converter A and in conduits and apparatus in direct connection therewith is increased.

The discharge portion of conduit 18 conducts the gas material to a second heating means 19 where it is reheated to a desired temperature. From the heating means 19, a conduit 20 conducts the gas material to the inlet of an automatic pressure controlling means 21 known as areer value. The conduit 22 is joinedte the conduit Gil .consumers pipe line.

A conduit 24, disposed in the upper portion of the cold converter and connecting with the gas space above the stored liquid, conducts gas when desired to the inlet of an automatic pressure controlling means 25 referred to generally as a back pressure valve. The back pressure valve 25 permits no gas to pass untilthe pressure of the gas material in conduit 24 reaches or exceeds a desired set value. When the set pressure is exceeded, gas is permitted to flow through the conduit 26 to a second automatic pressure controlling means 27 also of the type known as a re ducing valve. The reducing valve 27 discharges through conduit 28 and maintains a desired discharge pressure of the gas material therein at a substantially constant value. This desired pressure, which obtains in conduit 23 as well as in conduit 28, is sumciently above that normally maintained by valve 21 in conduits 22 and 23 to cause valve 21 to lock-up" and remain substantially closed until pressure in receiver 29 is reduced by a desired amount below the pressure at which the. back-pressure valve 25 opens. The conduit 28 joins and communicates with the consumers pipe line 23.

A gas storage container 29 of desired capacity is in gaseous communication with conduit 24 by means of conduit 30. A safety release valve 31 is preferably provided and is in gaseous communication with conduit 24 to release any excess pressure that may occur therein.

In the form of device shown in Fig. 2 there is disposed within the pressure tight vessel 10 a relatively thin walled container 33 for holding tween liquefied gas and conduit 18 which comprises a supplementary container 34 disposed within the insulating material 12, and having a conduit 35 connecting its upper portion with the upper portion of the vessel 10 and a second conduit 36 connecting its lower portion with the lower portion of container 33, this latter entering by way of a connection 3'7 passing through the wall of vessel 10. Conduits 36 and 35 permit gas material to flow in and out of the supplementary container 34 whereby a column of liquefied gas rises therein to the main level. The conduit 18 is disposed within supplemental container 34 so as to be in contact with the liquefied gas.

The flow and pressure controlling meansin this second form of device is arranged so that the reducing valve, shown at 27 in Fig. 1, is not here employed. A back pressure valve, indicated at 25', is employed to control the flow of gas into conduit 38 which is in communication with conduit 20. Beyond the junction of these conduits is inserted, a reducing valve 21', for controlling the passage of gas material in conduit 23 to consuming apparatus.

For purposes of describing the operation, it will be assumed, by way of example, that the procedure herein set forth is carried out with the apparatus of Fig. 1. Here the pressure of the gas material within the consumers pipe line 23 is arranged to be maintained substantially between and pounds per square inch gauge. The reducing valve, shown at 21, is then adjusted to maintain a delivery pressure of 100 pounds per square inch, and to stop discharge of gas material when the pressure in conduit 23 exceeds 100 pounds per square inch. The reducing valve shown at 27 is then adjusted to maintain a discharge pressure greater than 100 pounds per square inch, but not greater than 105 pounds per square inch when the pressure at its inlet is above 105 pounds per square inch. The back pressure valve shown at 25 is then adjusted to open and allow gas to pass when the pressure at its inlet is greater by a desired amount than 105 pounds per square inch, for example, pounds per square inch.

When the pressure of the gas material'in the cold converter A and the container 29 is below 125 pounds per square inch, and gas is discharged to the consumers pipe line 23, the back pressure valve 25 will be closed preventing discharge through conduits 26 and 28, however, discharge of liquefied gas will occur through conduit 16. heater 1?, conduit 18, reheating means 19, and conduits 20 and 22. It will be seen that during this liquid phase withdrawal, the superheat transferred to the flowing gas material by heater 1'? is substantially transferred by the submerged portion of conduit 18 to the storedjliquid. This heat vaporizes a portion of liquefied gas and causes a rise in the gas pressure within the cold converter A and the connected container 29.

The pressure continues to increase according to the above described action until a value of, for example, 125 pounds per square inch is reached when the back pressure valve 25 will open. At this time gas will flow through conduit 2'1 out of the cold converter and. out of the container 29 through conduit 30, through the back pressure valve 25 and 'the reducing valve 27 to the 'conduit 23. In passing through reducing valve 27, the pressure of the gas material flowing is reduced to about 105 pounds per square inch, and-the pressure in conduit 23 is then maintained substantially constant at this value.

Since reducing valve 21 will not pass gas when the pressure. in the conduit 23 substantially exceeds 100 pounds per square inch, the flow of gas-material through conduit means 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 may be stopped altogether or sub stantially retarded, and vaporization of liquid consequently will be reduced to an extent such that continued withdrawal of gas through the system 24, 30, 25, 26, 2'7 and 28 will tend to lower the pressure in the cold converter A and the container 2Q.

It will be seen that while flow of gas to consuming apparatus through conduit 23 continues at any desired rate, the present method of automatic control provides that if the pressure in the systembe .too low, flow occurs through the system 16, to conduit 22, whereby the pressure is raised, and if the pressure in the cold converter be too high, fiow occurs through the system 24 and 30 to 28, whereby the pressure is lowered. The result is that the pressure in the cold converter is maintained between desired limits at values moderately higher than the desired consumers pipe line pressure.

In the modified apparatus of Fig. 2, the operation is substantially similar to that described above, except that the reducing valve 21' maintains the pressure inthe consumers pipe line material to the reducing valve.

23-at a substantially constant value, for example pounds per square inch, while the back pressure valve 25' controls the path of fiow of gas When, for example, the back pressure valve 25' is set to open when the pressure of gas inconduit 24 ex ceeds pounds per square inch and to close when the pressure in said conduit is lower than 125 pounds per square inch, the pressure of the gas material in the cold converter A and container 29 being normally below 125 pounds per square inch, so that back pressure valve 25' remains normally closed, fiow will then occur through the system 16, 1'7, 18, 19, and20. When the back pressure valve is open due to the pressure in the cold converter being greater than 125 pounds per square inch, the flow will occur through the system 24 and 30, 38 to 20, since the latter path is a path of less resistance to fiow.

To cause fiow from the liquid phase requires that the liquid head be overcome in forcing liquid up through conduit 16. Any tendency to form a liquid siphon is prevented by the vaporization effected by the heating means 1'7.

An object of disposing the conduit 18 in a supplementary container 34 connected with the main container 10 and liquid holding vessel 33 is to avoid heating the main body of liquefied gas and yet effect the vaporization of a desired portion of liquefied gas for the purpose of increasing the pressure in the cold converter A.

When, after a period of consumption, the flow of gas to consuming apparatus is completely stopped, the pressure in the'cold converter will be, for example, about 125 pounds per square inch, but will very slowly rise due to the interfiltration of heat at a low rate into the body of liquid stored within the cold converter A. If the relief valve 31 be set to release when the pressure reaches 300 pounds per square inch, which, for example, may be the highest safe working pressure of the cold converter and the container 29, it will be seen that it is desirable to maintain the pressure in the cold converter during discharge at a low value such that the interval between this pressure and the desired pressure, which in this instance is 300 pounds per square inch, will have been made as long as practical, for then the period during which no'discharge to consuming apparatus may occur, without loss of gas material by the operation of the safety valve, is substantially a maximum.

Since certain changes in carrying out the constructions set forth, which embody the invention, may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus for dispensing gas material comprising the combinations/1tha container for liquefied gas having connected gaseously a gas storage container, of means for automatically opening a gas discharge passage leading to consuming apparatus when the pressure within said container exceeds a desired working pressure,

'means interposed in said gas passage to reduce and maintain substantially constant at a desired maximum value the pressure of gas flowing to said consuming apparatus, and means for automatically opening a liquid discharge passage leading to consuming apparatus when the pressure in the passage to consuming apparatus on the exit side of said means is a desired value below said maximum value. 2. Apparatus or dispensing gas material comprising the combination with a container for liquefied gas having connected gaseously a gas storage container, of means for automatically opening a gas discharge passage leading to consuming apparatus when the pressure within said container exceeds a desired working ,pressure, and for automatically closing said gas discharge passage when the pressure within said container is substantially lower than said working pressure, means interposed in said gas passage for reducing and maintaining substantially constant at a desired maximum value the pressure of gas flowing to said consuming apparatus, means for automatically opening a liquid discharge passage leading to consuming apparatus when the pressure in the passage to consuming apparatus on the exit side of said means is a desired value below said maximum value.

3. Apparatusfor dispensing gas material comprising the combination with a container for liquefied gas having connected gaseously a gas storage container, of means for automatically opening a gas discharge passage leading to consuming apparatus when-the pressure within said container exceds a desired working pressure, means interposed in said gas passage to reduce and maintain substantially constant at a de sired maximum value the pressure of gas flowing to said consuming apparatus when the pressure in the passage to consuming apparatus on the exit side of said means is a desired value below said maximum value, a liquid discharge passage leading to said consuming apparatus, and associated with said liquid discharge passage means for vaporizing and superheating liquefied gas and means for vaporizing a portion of the stored liquefied gas when liquid is discharged.

prising the combination with a container ior liquefied gas with connected gas storagemeans, of a system for gas phase withdrawal comprising a gas phase discharge passage having in series 3 a means for automatically opening said passage when the gas pressure in said container is above a desired working pressure and closing said passage whenthe pressure in said storage container is lower than said working pressure, and a means for discharging to gas consuming apparatus gas having an automatically maintained substan= tially constant desired maximum pressure, and a system for liquid phase discharge comprising a second passage for gas material leading from a lower portion of said container to said gas consuming apparatus having means for vaporizing and superheating gas material flowing through said second passage, means for efiecting thermal contact between superheated gas material and stored liquefied gas, means for reheating gas material flowing through said passage, and means for reducing the pressure of gas material discharged to consuming apparatus to a substantially constant desired pressure which is lower than said desired maximum pressure and for stopping the flow of gas material through said passage when the pressure of the discharge exceeds said desired value.

5. Apparatus for supplying gas material in 3, the gas phase converted from liquefied gas, comprising an insulated container for the liquefied gas, a receiver for gas in the gas phase, a liquid phase withdrawal conduit leading from said container to a consuming device, heating means in 5.

4. Apparatus for dispensing gas material comamd conduit, automatic new controlling means in said conduit following said heating means, a gas phase withdrawal conduit communicating with said first named conduit at a point in advance of said flow controlling means and having a back pressure controlling means, and a connection leading from said receiver to said conduit communicating at a point in advance of said back pressure controlling means.

6. Apparatus ior supplying gas material in the gas phase converted from liquefied gas, comprising an insulated container for the liquefied gm, a receiver. for gas in the gas phase, a liquid phase withdrawal conduit leading from said con- 'talner to a consuming device, heating means in said conduit, means for vaporizing a desired portion of the stored body of liquefied gas in said conduit following said heating means, reheating means in said conduit following said vaporizing means, automatic flow controlling means in said conduit following said reheating means, a gas phase withdrawal conduit communicating with said first named conduit at a point in advance of said flow controlling means, back pressure controlling means in said last named conduit, and a connection iromsaid receiver to said last named cenduitcomznunicatlng at a point in advance of said heel; preswe contro means.

2. Apparatus ior supplvmg gas material in the gas phase converted from liquefied gas, comprising an insulated container for the liquefied.

gas, a receiver for gas in the gas phase, a liquid phase withdrawal conduit leading from said container to a consuming device, heating means in said conduit, means for vaporizing a desired portion of the stored body of liquefied gas in said conduit following said heating means, reheating means in said conduit following said vaporizing.

means, automatic flow controlling means in said conduit following said reheating means, a gas phase withdrawal conduit communicating with said first named conduit at a point following said flow controlling means, back pressure controlling means in said last named conduit, flow controlling means in said conduit following said-back municate with said gas phase withdrawal connections, andautomatic means associated respectively with said gas phase and liquid phase with-, drawal connections for maintaining the disgas material in the gas phase connected to com- 1 charge of gas material to consuming apparatus 5 during the discharge period at a working pressure of substantially constant value.

LEE C. UPDEGRAFF. 

